It is important for the Papuan peoples wherever you are to understand, that as a civilised nation, we ought to identify ourselves among other names or organisations set up by the colonial power, we need to know exactly that OPM (Organisasi Papua Merdeka) is not a military organisation that carries out guerrila warfare against colonial NKRI (Negara Kesatuan Republik Indoneisa – Unitary Republic of Indonesia). It does not at all.

Therefore, all name or stereotyping by the NKRI during more than 40 years so far, that OPM is an armed organisation and that armed resistance in West Papua carried out by OPM is a systematic and deliberate public lie, orchestrated to paint a wrong image of the OPM. Such action by the Indonesian government has caused problems for the OPM to actively and freely involved in various political campaigns and lobby activities around the world.

Papuan peoples have one armed wing organisation that until November 2006 was called TPN (Tentara Pembebasan Nasional – National Liberation Army) which was then changed into TRWP (Tentara Revolusi West Papua – West Papua Revolutionary Army). TRWP as one and only task, to fight against the Indonesian occupation across the country of West Papua. Since the last 10 years, TRWP has been active in preparing itself to become a professional military organisation with more organised personnel and troops. TRWP actions will no longer be sporadic and unorganised/ uncoordinated as before. More importantly, TRWP is not a terrorist organisation, as it does not carry out military campaign sporadically, nor target public facilities and ordinary peoples.

In fact most of civilian killings in West Papua so far have been carried out by the Indonesian military and police forces.

OPM or Free Papua Organisation is not an armed organisation. All Papuans need to be aware that OPM is not a military organisation.

Besides, the joining of the name TPN with OPM becomes TPN/OPM has been deliberately designed by the colonial NKRI in order to narrow and limit the movement of the OPM itself and finally to band OPM as a terrorist organisation, which never been sucessfull due to OPM and TRWP today have chosen a peaceful way to resolve the conflict.

In November 2006, in the First TPN/OPM Congress in the Jungles of West Papua, TPN/OPM issued some very important resolutions, among others:

Papuan peoples should not be dragged into the game of the NKRI, because Indonesia is still playing their old songs. Right now TRPB and OPM are building a new foundation, a foundation that is rooted into the peoples/tribes in West Papua, that is strong and that will bring our nation into its freedom. It is not like New Papua as proudly promoted by the Indonesian provincial puppet-governor Barnabas Suebu, the Ifale Tribal Chief.

New Papua and Free West Papua are two different names with different goals and purposes. New Papua is a peacful, democratic Papua, a Papua without conflict and rebellion against the Indonesian occupation, no OPM, and no TRWP.

Organisasi Papua Merdeka is the mother organisation of all organisations ever been set up and campaigning for West Papua independence, be it Papua Presidium Council, be it Koteka Tribal Assembly, be it West Papua National Coallition for Liberation. All these are the children of OPM.

Right now, the mother-organisation is preparing its steps to introduce its new face, personel and structural organisation. Therefore, from the Central Headquarters of the TRWP, we invite all of you, both supporters of Indonesia/ autonomy or those who support independent West Papua, either inside or outside our country, all should be informed earlier now, that OPM is about to launch its Central Office with all persons responsible to organise and manage the OPM as a professional and credible organisation in this modern and civilised world.

From then on, OPM will launch political campaigns around the world, asking for political support, first of all from Melanesian brothers and sisters and then from supporters and supporting organisations around the world.

By that time, then those who have put their lives for the cause, with those who are still fighting for it, and those to come, will witness that OPM is not an organisation connected to any terrorist organisation whatsoever, and it is not an NGO-type organ based abroad, campaigning for donations or human rights issues, and that it is not an organisation in-exile without any clear programmes and plans of actions, but it is a credible, well-organised, professional and accountable political organisation from and for West Papua, campaigning for a Free and Independent West Papua.

Amin.

Issues in: Central Headquarters of WPRA

On Date: 25 October 2008

Leut. Gen. Amunggut Tabi,

Secretary-General